(NST) - DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng has yet to send all documents to the Registrar of Societies (RoS), including the name lists of party members who attended its central executive committee (CEC) re-election on Sept 29.

Former DAP leader Tan Tuan Tat said Guan Eng had sent only a few pages of documents to RoS, thus, delaying its investigation into legalising the CEC.

"He (Guan Eng) is doing this on purpose. He handed insufficient documents so that DAP would get de-registered by RoS, and then he can form a party filled with only his cronies," said Tan, adding that Guan Eng's act was childish.

(MM) - Pemuda PAS yesterday unanimously agreed to push a motion at the party's 59th Muktamar or general assembly, seeking a review of their position in the three-way Pakatan Rakyat partnership.

The motion outlined five thrusts aimed at improving on the tahaluf siyasi principle, which was laid out by the powerful Syura council to govern PAS' political partnership with PKR and DAP.

Seeking to improve on the tahaluf siyasi, the motion is seen as a response to alleged discrimination against PAS in Penang as claimed by delegates in the Pemuda and Ulama wings today.

Penang delegate Mohd Shafirul Rozali said that it is unfortunate to see the principle being sidelined by some within the opposition coalition, from issues of governance in PR-ruled states to the matter of seat allocation in the national polls.

"We don't want to pick a fight with anyone, and we want to be friends with all, be it Malay, Chinese or Indian.

"The issue, however, is that after the Syura council introduced tahaluf siyasi, there are some who did not understand it, paid it no heed and considered it a small matter," Mohd Shafirul said when tabling the motion.

The motion seeks to get the party to agree to push for a coordinating committee to be set up in all PR-ruled states to oversee the implementation of tahaluf siyasi, and also make it compulsory for PR to get the nod from the relevant state or division PAS leadership before appointing PAS members to any government post.

The motion also wants the party to take strict disciplinary action against PAS members that betray their allegiance to the party or go against party agenda while holding public office, establish a leadership academy to train PAS members as government officials and to have a periodic review and update of the principles and guidelines of the PR partnership formula by the Syura council.

A Selangor delegate, Abdul Muhiz Mohammad, said when debating the motion that PAS members must never lose sight of the reason they agreed to the implementation of tahaluf siyasi.

He said that Islam should always be their guiding light in navigating their foray into politics, and Islamic principles should be their reference when looking at developing the power-sharing formula in the PR coalition.

Abdul Muhiz singled out "complaints" raised earlier by delegates from Penang, who claimed that their rights were not respected despite being part of the ruling government.

"I believe many of us decided to go into politics for Islam and to be closer to Allah. But this concept of tahaluf would be difficult to manage if we do not even understand what it is that can negate our fast and solat," he said, referring to the Muslim daily prayers.

(The Star) - A delegate has come into Penang PAS' defence in issuing an ultimatum against the DAP-led state government for its alleged interference in the administration of Islamic affairs.

The Penang PAS Muslimat delegate, Rahmah Md Isa said the action initiated by PAS was needed to provide a "check and balance" in the Penang state administration.

"We (Penang PAS) only wanted to strengthen the spirit of cooperation in the Pakatan pact," she said on Thursday, adding that having only a seat in Penang does not mean that the party was weak.

"Pas has a strong machinery at the grassroots level," she said when debating a motion to adjourn the Muktamar.

She however downplayed the existing disagreement between PAS and DAP in Penang as nothing less than an argument between a brother and his younger sibling.

"However, sometimes, at one point, we have to be firm in our stand," she said.

PAS had recently claimed that the Penang government had "unreasonable interfered" in Islamic affairs and in the appointments to state agencies and village development and security committees.

If the party was not given appropriate roles and positions in the state government, its Penang PAS deputy commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said that they would pull out their representatives from state and municipal council posts.

Outgoing Bersih chief S Ambiga says they merely highlighted that a high number of East Malaysians were being ferried to the peninsula before the general election.

G Vinod, FMT

Bersih did not mention 40,000 Bangladeshis voted in the general election, said Bersih chairman S Ambiga.

Ambiga told FMT that Bersih only highlighted the high number of East Malaysians being brought in to the peninsula, days before the general election.

"Tengku Adnan (Tengku Mansor) himself had admitted that the East Malaysians were ferried by Barisan Nasional-friendly organisations to vote.

"But I don't remember mentioning 40,000 Bangladeshis," she said.

Yesterday, Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim denied making claims that there were 40,000 Bangladeshi phantom voters in the 13th general election, saying that the statement was spun by pro-Umno bloggers.

"We have checked our statements and have never made such claims," he said, during a media conference at the Parliament's lobby.

In a blog post on May 2, Anwar mentioned he had documentary evidence that a group of foreign nationals were being transported from the airports to various points in the peninsula, using transport provided by government agencies as well as chartered bus operators.

Tengku Adnan, who is Umno secretary-general, admitted that people were being ferried from East Malaysia but dismissed claims that they were dubious voters.

Touching on dubious voters, Ambiga said the royal commission proceedings in Sabah had proved their allegations all along that there were foreigners registered in the national electoral roll.

She also said there many other instances of irregularities during the general election, which was left unanswered by the Elections Commission and the government.

"But the government is not responding to that. Instead, they keep harping on the 40,000 Bangladeshis."To me, this is just a smokescreen. They are not talking about the foreigners being registered in our electoral roll," she said.

However, Harun stressed that it is the responsibility of ulama to educate other Muslims from succumbing to those teachings.

"We're not saying that it has spread in PAS, but our work is to reject and repair these beliefs, maybe they are in Umno, in PKR, among Malaysians," Harun told reporters after the wings' muktamar (conference) was adjourned here.

"We're not pointing at PAS members, but to Malaysians who have been manipulated by these elements." The veteran politician also reiterated that Islam is the only syumul (universal) religion, while other religions are not and therefore cannot be placed on the same level such as in pluralism.

With its religious credentials under threat from rivals, delegates from PAS's ulama wing earlier today told party leaders to cut all ties with "liberal" Islamic and pluralism movements today, urging a boycott of groups such as the Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF).

According to a delegate from the Perak ulama wing, Umno and Barisan Nasional might use the ties as ammunition to attack the Islamist party and its leaders.

The delegate also asked for PAS leaders at all levels, including its media outlets Harakah, to boycott any activities organised by IRF.

In recent months, Muslim NGOs together with the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) have been steadfast in their attack on what they perceived as a global conspiracy against Islam, singling out ideas such as liberalism, pluralism, feminism, socialism and even positivism.

In its weekly Friday sermon last week, Jakim had accused international powers of an organised ploy to spread teachings such as liberalism and pluralism to the youths through the internet.

Semut calls him a liar for denying that he spoke of 40,000 Bangladeshi voters

(FMT) - Semut today called on Anwar Ibrahim to quit all his political positions, calling him a liar for denying that he said 40,000 Bangladeshis voted in the last general election.

Semut president Huan Cheng Guan said Anwar should quit as Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Permatang Pauh MP and PKR leader for being a "pathological serial liar".

"Semut" is the acronym for Sensible and Ethical Malaysian United Troopers, a group that monitors the Internet for what it calls "sensitive comments" that could disrupt harmony in Malaysia. Huan is also vice president of Parti Cinta Malaysia.

Yesterday, in making his denial, Anwar said he did not mention "40,000 Bangladeshis" in his allegation about phantom voters in the May 5election.

"This is a spin by Umno bloggers," said the PKR leader. "Who ever said there were 40,000 Bangladeshis?"

Huan rejected the denial, saying Anwar had claimed on May 2 that 40,000 dubious individuals had entered Malaysia in chartered flights.

Huan said Anwar never explained how he derived the figure even though he claimed there was "a sudden surge in the arrival of dubious individuals on chartered flights since April 25th".

"Anwar owes it to Malaysians to explain and back up his allegations with solid evidence," he said.

"If he cannot or will not produce evidence to back his claim, Anwar should step down as PKR and Pakatan Rakyat de facto leader and (resign) his parliamentary seat and positions.

"Anyone who persistently misleads Malaysians in such a way that strife, fear, anger, and disunity are spread via deceit does not have moral ground for public office."

(MM) - Some 1,300-odd delegates at PAS's 59th general assembly tomorrow are being exposed to grievances and dissatisfaction of party members and leaders in dealing with issues within Pakatan Rakyat (PR).

They are also being exposed to how PAS members and leaders are treated by DAP in Penang, where the party is regarded as virtually non-existent.

The build-up of several issues of concern in the ties with PR, particularly against DAP chairman Karpal Singh who reportedly suggested the de-registration of political parties and NGOs based on religion and race and in Penang, against Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng for unnecessary interference and non-consultation on Islamic affairs seem to be just the tip of the many issues at hand.

With the resolution from the Ulama Council for delegates to debate the political cooperation with PR, the issues that have appeared in mainstream media and blogs are expected to take centre stage.

Events in the past week point to one thing — that veteran fundamentalists are now fighting back against the onslaught of the liberals.

Given the debate will be held only on Saturday, after the party election tomorrow afternoon, the fundamentalists need to "awaken" the delegates on why the party needs to review its ties in PR by highlighting problems faced in the media.

If debates are held before polling, the media must not be allowed to highlight such problems because all the ugly incidences will appear during debate and after that, the delegates can decide who to vote for.

Since this is not the case and the contest is considered intense where it involves the future path of the party, the fundamentalists do not want to see the party "hijacked" by liberals and its objectives shelved and replaced with new ones.

What's worse is if the party falls under the control of Parti Keadilan Rakyat (PKR) de facto chief Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who is backed by the liberals in PAS but not favoured by the veteran fundamentalists.

While tomorrow's poll will determine the party's future path, an indication can be seen today when the result of the party Youth election is known.

The indication will possibly tell which faction will win, given that 60 per cent or around 700 of the 1,300 delegates tomorrow will be from the Youth wing.

The three-corner Youth chief contest will see an ulama-inclined Kamarulzaman Muhammad against liberals and professionals Suhaizan Kiat and Zulhazmi Shariff while for deputy chief, it is a straight fight between party president Datuk Seri Abdul Hadi Awang's son Mohd Khalil Abdul Hadi (pic) and professional Dr Raja Ahmad Iskandar Raja Yaakob.

Datuk Abu Bakar Chik, a veteran fundamentalist whose era was alongside Abdul Hadi, the late Datuk Fadzil Nor, the late Yusof Rawa and also secretary-general Mustafa Ali, does not seem to have much of a chance to be voted as vice-president because he has been "hibernating" too long in Terengganu.

The fundamentalists do not seem to have many candidates that can be placed against the young and professional liberals at the vice-presidency level, but it would suffice them to have the faction's representatives at deputy president and one in the vice-president's post.

(MM) - PAS's ulama wing called on the Islamist party today to leverage its membership in the Pakatan Rakyat (PR) federal opposition to implement Islamic law in the states administered by the pact.

In stressing its call for the informal pact to be re-examined, the wing consisting of Islamic clerics questioned whether it has benefited Islam, even as they conceded that it has succeeded politically.

"To re-examine is not to break the link with our friends at work, but re-examine what are the profits and losses. Maybe there are material profits, but with respect to Islam, we must examine how much is Islam implemented in the states that we rule," wing chief Datuk Harun Taib told the 500-strong crowd at their wing annual muktamar (conference).

"The tahaluf siyasi strategy used by PAS has bore fruit in reducing the power and domination of Barisan Nasional ... PAS must fill up the victory by suggesting various Islamic policies in state administration and governance," said wing deputy chief Datuk Ahmad Yakob in his keynote speech later.

The term tahaluf siyasi means "political consensus", and is used to describe PAS's working arrangement with its allies in PR.

On Monday, party information chief Datuk Tuan Ibrahim Tuan Man had said that PAS will debate on pressing the PR-led state governments to impose the controversial hudud laws in their respective states at the Islamist party's muktamar tomorrow.

Amid renewed debate on the possibility of implementation of the Islamic criminal law in Kelantan, Tuan Ibrahim said hudud was part of the four motions on Islamic laws that will come up for debate in the muktamar.

The states currently ruled by PR — composed of PAS, PKR and secular DAP — are Kelantan, Penang and Selangor.

In the keynote speech today, Ahmad congratulated Brunei for enforcing hudud laws and expressed the wings' support for the sultanate amid international criticism.

Last month, Brunei began enforcement of Islamic laws within its criminal code, which will take effect starting next year called the Syariah Penal Code, prompting condemnation from global human rights advocates.

In a national-level Amal Ma'ruf Nahi Mungkar convention in Pengkalan Chepa, Kelantan last month, Ahmad had also said opponents of the Islamic penal code are risking their faith and insulting the "intelligence of Allah".

The code implemented by Brunei specifies punishments as prescribed by Islamic holy texts, including death by stoning for adultery.

However, prosecutors must fulfil a high burden of proof, including the testimony of at least four credible witnesses, in order to carry out the punishment.

Additionally, Muslims who insult, mock, or deny the teachings al-Quran or hadith (traditions) of Prophet Muhammad are liable to up to 30 years of jail and 40 strokes of the cane.

Other offences such as theft can be punishable by amputation of the right hand, if the property stolen amounts to or exceeds the nisab (required minimum value) and two credible witnesses besides the victim are produced.

Syariah law is generally confined to Muslims, but can extend to non-Muslims if they are involved in aiding or abetting an offence committed by a Muslim.

The issue of implementing hudud law in Malaysia has kept opposition parties in Pakatan Rakyat at loggerheads, especially between the Islamist PAS and secular DAP.

(MM) - Amid a rumoured rift between ulama (Islamic clerics) and laypersons in PAS, the former today came out to say the group understands the Islamist party's struggle best as they are more knowledgeable in the Quranic teachings that form PAS's core values.

However, at the PAS ulama wing annual muktamar here, the group denied that it is hungry for power when it suggested for the ulama to have more prominent roles in administration.

"We do not want power, we are not power hungry, we are not power crazy.

"But for PAS, which is a party based on Islam, PAS' constitution states that its highest laws are Quran ... So who in (the party), who understand the party's policies more? Who understands more besides the ulama?" said wing chief Datuk Harun Taib in his launching speech here.

But he denied that his saying so undermined those not from within its ranks or that was he acknowledging a rift between the two groups.

In September, eight resolutions were passed at a convention held by its clergy class in Kedah, during which it also called for PAS's two top posts to be reserved for the ulama.

The meeting, dubbed Multaqa Ulama Se-Malaysia (Convention of Malaysia's Ulama) further demanded that the members of the group be given government posts in PR-run states - an unprecedented move that suggests discontent over the lack of recognition accorded to the class that forms a powerful bloc in PAS.

Despite admitting that the party's 59th annual muktamar had been made "hotter" from the wing's resolutions, Harun claimed today that he and the ulama faction had been unfairly attacked, which he said had resulted from misunderstandings.

The ulama's resolution in September calling for the party to return to its Islamic struggle and the strengthening of ulama leadership in the party — with a resolution for the president and his deputy to come from the faction — could signal the return of Islamic conservatism in PAS.

The influential ulama wing had also last month renewed calls for the party to relook ties with partner PKR and its position in the federal opposition pact Pakatan Rakyat.

In the last party polls, PAS grassroots overwhelmingly supported the progressives at the ulama faction's expense, in a tactical move aimed at garnering more non-Malay support in the 13th general election.

In a unanimous decision, the country's top court ruled that there was no conflict of interest in Putrajaya appointing the prominent Umno lawyer to act as a deputy public prosecutor (DPP).

"We dismiss the appeal and affirm the decision of the Court of Appeal," Court of Appeal president Tan Sri Md Rauf Sharif, who chaired a full bench in the apex court, said in the judgment today.

Rauf pointed out that Shafee was not found to be a relevant witness during Anwar's second sodomy trial at the High Court.

The chair of the five-man bench also said that the Umno lawyer's presence at Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak's residence at the time the opposition leader's accuser, Mohd Saiful Bukhari Azlan, had gone to see the country's top leader to accuse Anwar of sodomy, was irrelevant.

"It's too fleeting to bear any relevance to the sodomy charge," said Rauf.

Anwar's lead counsel, Karpal Singh, told the court on November 11 that it was perceived that Shafee was an interested party in the entire case due to his presence at the prime minister's residence at the same time when Saiful was there.

But Shafee had countered that the court cannot make a decision based on unproven claims, as there was no evidence to support the argument that there was a conflict of interest in his appointment by the Attorney-General to lead their appeal against Anwar's acquittal.

He had said the mere fact that he was present in "one corner of the house", while the meeting between Najib and Saiful went on, did not prove that he had anything to do with it.

The Federal Court also ruled today that Section 378 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) - which Karpal has argued that it allows only DPPs in regular government service to appear on behalf of the public prosecutor in criminal appeals - could not be read in isolation.

The court said that it must be read together with the CPC's Section 376(3), which allows the public prosecutor to appoint fit and proper people as DPPs, and Section 379, which allows an advocate to be employed on behalf of the government to conduct criminal prosecutions.

"We'll take Shafee on. No problem, despite the fact it's not in accordance with provisions of the CPC," Karpal told reporters after the court decision.

Anwar, who was with Karpal, smiled when reporters asked for comments, and said: "I'm not surprised".

The government's appeal against Anwar's acquittal is scheduled to resume on December 11 at the Court of Appeal.

Penang Malay Congress has joined Penang Umno in its call for PAS not to waste time in Pakatan Rakyat and pull out from the coalition if "the political marriage was not working."

Athi Shankar, FMT

Penang Malay Congress (PMC) president Rahmad Isahak said PAS should stipulate a time frame for the state's Pakatan leadership to fulfill PAS's demand for more say in the decision-making process on state appointments.

"If Pakatan fails to meet the ultimatum, then PAS should pull out from the coalition without a moments hesitation."

He said PAS should realise that DAP used terms like "Saidina Umar Abdul Aziz" and "Amat Makruf Nahi Mungkar" as punch-lines to hoodwink Malay-Muslims merely to fish for their votes.

"But, in truth DAP is a chauvinist party that out-rightly rejects Malays and Islam," he claimed.

"PAS should pull out from Pakatan if it is serious and sincere in championing the Malay and Islamic cause in Penang and country.

"Why should PAS let it(self) to be used by DAP?

"Why should an Islamist party rub shoulders with a chauvinist party like DAP?" asked Rahmad in a statement today.

He was referring to grouses raised by the PAS leadership on Tuesday against the Pakatan leadership and the state government under Chief Minister and DAP secretary-general Lim Guan Eng.

Penang PAS has threatened to pull out from the DAP-led Pakatan government and will review its position in the coalition if the party is continued to be undermined by its partners.

State PAS deputy commissioner Muhammad Fauzi Yusoff said the party wanted more 'space' within Pakatan and be allowed to speak out and make decisions on party appointments to the Penang Islamic Religious Council (Maipp), and the local government and village development and security councils (JKKK).

He also warned the state government and Pakatan state council not to interfere in the administration of the Maipp currently headed by state PAS commissioner and Permatang Pauh assemblyman Mohd Salleh Man.

(Bernama) - PAS wants an agreement with Pakatan Rakyat (PR) to maintain the number of seats allocated to the party, should the coalition take power in the country.

Its vice-president, Datuk Husam Musa said this would be an assurance to all party grassroots members.

"The agreement with our partners in the coalition ensures PAS that each seat allocated to the party in the previous general election will be contested by PAS in future, after the coalition rules the country," he said at the opening of the PAS Muslimat Muktamar here yesterday.

Meanwhile, PAS Muslimat wing chief Siti Zailah Mohd Yusof said PAS needed political cooperation with PR to continue to be in power in the states it ruled.

She said the party's record showed it could only rule Kelantan and Terengganu but with cooperation, it could be in power in the West Coast states.

"The political cooperation between DAP and Parti Keadilan Rakyat has succeeded in bringing PAS out from the East Coast," she added.